Green Branch

“Green Branch” is a federally registered trademark to denote the environmentally friendly construction and design of retail banking locations. This term was granted as a trademark by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Oct. 23, 2007 [http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm] to The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC).

The basis for the federal patent office’s approval of PNC’s trademark application included the determination that financial and banking services are not generally associated with environmentally friendly or ecologically efficient characteristics [http://www.environmentalleader.com/2007/11/13/pnc-financial-granted-trademark-for-green-branch/] . With 55 buildings (as of September 2008) certified by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in Washington, D.C., including 53 Green Branch® locations, PNC has more environmentally friendly buildings that any other company on Earth [http://content.pncmc.com/live/pnc/microsite/Green/index.htm] .

Origins

Established in 1852, PNC is one of the nation's largest diversified financial services organizations providing consumer and business banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management; asset management; and global fund services.

Starting in 2002, PNC became the first major U.S. bank to design and build environmentally friendly retail banking offices, which range in size from 3,000-4,200 square feet and cost about $2.6 million. The company’s first Green Branch® opened that same year in West Grove, N.J. These branches are designed and constructed to reduce costs, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve the health and vitality of the communities served by PNC Bank.

PNC green locations have earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, which provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction, by the USGBC. The nation's leading coalition of corporations, builders, federal and local agencies working together to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work, the USGBC awards LEED certification based on points for for appropriateness of sites; natural resource and energy conservation; emphasis on mass transit; innovation; construction materials use and reuse; and design [http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=124] .

Branch Features

Each PNC Green Branch® is slightly different; however, they are all based on an innovative prototype design for consistency and efficiency. More than 50 percent of the materials used in each PNC Green Branch®, including carpet and furniture fabric, are locally manufactured or made from recycled or “green” materials [http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/11-13-2007/0004704099&EDATE=] . For example, interior carpet tiles are made from 72 percent recycled material that is 100 percent recyclable into carpet at the end of its lifecycle. Hard floor surfaces are made from recycled rubber, and cabinetry and office doors are made of wheat board, a byproduct of wheat processing [http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2005/03/14/pnc-bank-takes-environment-account] . The walls are insulated above code to improve efficiency, and the brick walls are prefabricated to reduce construction time. PNC trains its builders and contractors to obtain maximum recycling and minimal waste out of their labors. Construction waste, such as wood, steel and cardboard, is recycled or salvaged, reducing landfill waste by 150 tons per branch.

Energy usage at a Green Branch® is decreased 34 percent or more compared to a traditional branch through high-efficiency systems and insulation, along with maximum use of natural light. In each branch are window walls, which are two sheets of glass that sandwich two sheets of film to isolate extreme exterior temperatures. Tellers also have access to motorized blinds that reduce heat and glare when the sun beams through windows. Non-chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants are used in the cooling system to protect the ozone, and branches are heated and cooled by a high-efficiency unit on the roof and lit by long-lasting fluorescent bulbs. Also, water usage is reduced by 6,200 gallons a year through the use of low-flow plumbing fixtures and drought-resistant landscaping [http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=PECSR.story&STORY=/www/story/11-13-2007/0004704099&EDATE=TUE+Nov+13+2007,+08:11+AM] . For instance, many branches are bordered by low-water plants that need only concentrated watering for the first couple weeks and, after that, can subsist on natural rainfall.

Beyond the environmental features, the contemporary design of these buildings includes unique customer-service features, such as a concierge desk with an employee who guides customers, Internet Café, coffee bar and plasma screens with business-related news and information. A minimum of four teller stations and at least one drive-thru banking station are available at each Green Branch to minimize customer wait time.

History

The Green Branch® trademark reflects PNC’s leadership in “green” business practices and its commitment to significantly reduce the company’s impact on the environment. PNC was named in the November 2007 issue of "Working Mother" magazine as one of the nation’s “2007 Best Green Companies for America’s Children” [http://www.workingmother.com/web?service=vpage/1131] .

PNC’s first green building, PNC Firstside Center, opened in 2000 as the nation’s largest, LEED-certified green building at 650,000 square feet – the equivalent of 12 football fields. Built on a reclaimed brownfield site [http://www.dnr.state.md.us/ed/pnc.pdf] , it houses a 24/7 bank operations center in downtown Pittsburgh with 1,500 employees.

In 2002, PNC opened the financial services industry’s first Gold level, LEED-certified green building in Wilmington, Del. [http://www.smartbrief.com/news/bio/industryPR-detail.jsp?id=545B49AE-2469-4089-ACB2-4735B5226505] . The building is headquarters to PNC Global Investment Servicing, PNC’s mutual fund processing business.

Besides dozens of future Green Branch® locations, PNC plans to pursue LEED certification for two major buildings in development. The first is Three PNC Plaza in downtown Pittsburgh, which is scheduled to open in 2009 as the nation’s largest green, “mixed-use” building (23 floors) with offices, retail shops, a hotel and condominiums. The other is 800 17th Street/PNC Place, the new regional headquarters for PNC’s Greater Washington region, slated to open in 2010 and located two blocks from the White House [http://www.jetsongreen.com/2008/08/pnc-planning-wa.html] .

Current Trends

According to a study commissioned this year by Havas Media, 79 percent of consumers worldwide would rather buy from eco-friendly companies, and 89 percent of shoppers plan to get even greener as the year passes [http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/investing/bal-bz.ml.green24aug24,0,1380029.story] .

In the News

Environmental issues are widely covered by the news media. Various news outlets have reported on PNC's environmental commitment. Coverage includes:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08238/906826-85.stm
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08065/862422-28.stm
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06189/704361-85.stm
http://www.examiner.com/p-72339~PNC_Bank_Extends_Leadership_In_Eco_Friendly_Development_With_Trademark_Of__Green_Branch_R___Term.html
http://www.post-gazette.com/magazine/20000926pnc2.asp

References